Love Is The Best Medicine (Stardew Valley - Harvey)

Chapter 9 - You and I

He leaned in closer, his lips just inches away from yours, and you could feel your heart racing.

But suddenly you felt the need to pull away, feeling overwhelmed by your emotions, a tidal wave of negative memories flooding your mind.

"I'm sorry, Harvey..." you said, standing up and dusting off your clothes in a panic. "I just- I can't do this right now." You turned and ran away, feeling embarrassed and unsure of your feelings.

"Evangeline!" Harvey desperately called out, his efforts going unheard by you.

Harvey watched in confusion as you got up and essentially ran away from him. He felt confused and disappointed, unable to process what had just happened. The connection between the both of you wasn't a figment of his imagination, was it? You left Harvey sat there, unsure of what to do next.

Sat on the beach, lost in thought, he wondered if he had misread the situation. Maybe he had made a terrible mistake by trying to talk to you, let alone kiss you. He didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable or pressured into anything after all.

Eventually, he stood up and headed back to his clinic. As he walked along the beach and gazed into the orange sky beyond the sea, he couldn't help but feel somewhat empty. He understood that maybe you needed time and space to figure things out. He respected your decision regardless and hoped that you would reach out to him when you were ready. In the meantime, he promised himself he would focus on his work and try not to dwell on what could have been.

That's the thing, you knew that you had a connection with Harvey, but you just weren't ready to take the next step, it felt too strange. When it came to romantic relationships, you had always been hesitant. You had seen how they could complicate people's lives and cause more harm than good. You had your own fair share of heartbreak when you were younger, and you were not risking to feel those painful emotions all over again. For you, your farm and your community were your top priorities. You didn't want anything to get in the way of that.

Despite this, nothing could stop you feeling drawn to Harvey. There was something about him that made your heart skip a beat, even though you tried to ignore it. But as much as you truly liked Harvey, you knew that pursuing a romantic relationship with him could be too risky. You didn't want to jeopardise your friendship or your professional relationship with him. So, you tried your best to push your feelings aside and focus on other things, hoping that they would eventually fade away. You knew that you had just had a close call with love, one of which could have been detrimental.

- Day 1, Fall -

As the heat of summer faded away, the leaves in the valley began to change their colours, signalling the arrival of fall. The once lush green trees turned into fiery shades of red, orange, and yellow, painting a beautiful picture against the clear blue sky. The air was crisp and cool, and the sound of leaves crunching underfoot became a more familiar sound.

You were excited to see your new fall crops grow and flourish under your care. You had carefully selected a variety of crops that were well-suited for the fall weather, including pumpkins, cranberries, and yams. You had also decided to take on the challenge of growing artichokes and beets, despite hearing that they were notoriously difficult to cultivate. Each day, you spent hours tending to your crops, making sure to water them regularly and remove any pesky weeds. As the weeks went by, you noticed that your new crops were beginning to sprout and grow. The pumpkins slowly turned from green to a vibrant orange, the cranberries ripened into a deep red, and the yams grew plump and delicious.

But you hadn't heard from Harvey, and you were trying your best to avoid him.

You found yourself actively avoiding him after the awkward encounter on the beach. Whenever you were called into the clinic for a check-up or injury, you found excuses to keep the conversations short and to the point. You couldn't help but feel embarrassed and unsure of your feelings towards him.